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As the seven-day warning strike called by the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) continues, its effects are being felt throughout Abuja’s hospitals.
Patients in the city are bearing the brunt of the disruption, with many facing extended waiting times and a diminished quality of care as medical staff express their grievances and the healthcare system faces mounting challenges.
Patients have not only been faced with frustrating delays in obtaining healthcare, but the ongoing strike has also caused hospitals to stop admitting new patients altogether. This combination of challenges has left individuals in urgent need of medical attention stranded, unable to access critical care as the strike continues to disrupt services.
News reports indicate that the strike has disrupted 83 health facilities and 64 medical schools across Nigeria, significantly affecting the delivery of healthcare services and medical education.
MDCAN members have launched a strike to push for the fulfillment of their demands, which center on the immediate dismissal of the Chairman of the Governing Council at Nnamdi Azikiwe University. They argue that his actions have demonstrated clear insubordination and are urging the Federal Government to implement the Ministry of Education’s directive, which invalidated any appointments made in contravention of its guidelines.
It also asks “the FG to develop an all-inclusive prototype of advertisement for the Office of Vice-Chancellor. The advertisement for the Office of Vice Chancellor as recently issued by Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, may serve as a prototype.
“The MDCAN NEC demands the harmonisation of the retirement age of Medical Consultants to 70 years. The MDCAN NEC demands harmonisation of payment of emoluments of CONMESS to ensure universal applicability of CONMESS to all Medical and Dental officers. Payment of 2023 and 2024, Clinical Duty Allowance areas, and 2023 25 per cent/35 per cent CONMESS arrears.”
Uchenna, a patient at the National Hospital in Abuja, spoke out about his experience of being denied admission, citing the consultants’ strike as the reason for his rejection. He noted that the strike had halted all regular hospital procedures, preventing him from accessing the necessary healthcare services.
“I am a new patient here. I ran a test last week at a private clinic, and I was referred here, but I was told that I could not be admitted because consultant doctors were on strike.
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“I have to look for a way out of this or wait till I can be admitted, but I doubt if I can wait any longer,” the 56-year-old man said.
Another patient, Bukola Bamgbose, said the strike was taking its toll on patients, as they had to wait longer hours to see a doctor.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the hospital, Dr. Tayo Haastrup, said the hospital was attending to emergency cases.
“We are attending to critical and emergency cases, but if it is not an emergency, we cannot admit the patient for now. But then, the resident doctors and other healthcare workers are on duty,” he noted.
At the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, a patient, Wale Debo, appealed to the striking doctors and the Federal Government to reach an agreement that would put a stop to the recurring strikes in the nation’s teaching hospitals.
He said, “Many Nigerians cannot afford healthcare here, not to talk of going to private hospitals. I didn’t know there was a strike until I got here this morning. The government needs to do something about the frequent strike of doctors.”
